A Time Of Change
by psycho-pink-faerie
Summary: Karen/Rob. Set after epi 10. Karen and Rob are just settling down into a comfortable relationship, but after one event, everything is set to change. Forever. For: Dare-denymecider. Rated M for explicit sexual content. Please R and R. UPDATED 15th October!
1. Chapter 1

**Author Note: **

_This story came about because of a plot bunny issued by dare-denymecider. I hope this beginning chapter meets with your approval ;) It would have been posted at the start of the week however I didn't feel it was quite there, and after some major reworking I like this much better than the original._

_Pairing is Karen/Rob because I absolutely adore them. Set after the end of series 7 pt 1._

_It is rated M because of explicit sex. Consider this a warning. If it's not your thing, then please don't read :)_

_If you do read, I hope you enjoy._

_Reviews are loved; constructive criticism is welcomed. I'm probably not the best smut writer, and there's always room for improvement._

_Leanne xx_

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**Disclaimer: **I do not own Waterloo Road; I've just borrowed Karen and Rob for my (their) pleasure :P

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**A Time of Change**

**Chapter One**

The sound of the mail being pushed through the letterbox and dropping onto the mat caused Karen to jump out of bed as it had done every morning for the past week and a half. She was still waiting to hear back from the LEA about her suspension, and with every day that passed with no news she became more and more certain that she wouldn't be returning in September. She picked up the pile of letters barely glancing at the white envelopes, all the while looking for an elusive brown one. There it was. Second from bottom of the pile. Karen placed the others on the telephone table, holding the brown one aloft with trembling fingers. Her heart hammered nervously in her chest and now it was here, she didn't know if she could face opening it. What if it was bad news? What would she do then?

"Karen?" Rob's voice floated down the stairs but she barely heard him, unable to take her eyes off the emblem on the front of the envelope, tracing the lines with her finger. "Karen are you okay?" Having received no reply, Rob had come halfway down the stairs and seen her simply standing there. He came and joined her in the hallway and seeing the letter in her hand, instantly understood. He knew how afraid she was about the prospect of not returning to Waterloo Road, and whilst he continued to reassure her that no news meant they were taking the time to consider it properly, privately he was worried. It wasn't that Karen wasn't a good headteacher, because she was one of the best, but no one could deny that the inspection had gone badly, and that she had made errors. "Do you want me to open it?" He asked, wrapping his arm around her and giving her a gentle squeeze.

Karen shook her head, eyeing the letter warily as though it was about to burst into flames. "No – no I'll do it," She managed, finally finding her voice.

"Let's go and sit down," Rob said calmly, and she felt him gently grip her arm and lead her into the living room. Numbly Karen let herself drop down onto the sofa, and she took a deep breath before turning the envelope over and ripping it open. The muscles in her face tightened as she unfolded the crisp cream sheet of paper, and faced her fate.

_'Dear Mrs Fisher,_

_We are pleased to inform you that we have reached a decision on the outcome of your headship at Waterloo Road. It has been unanimously agreed – following an investigation into the allegations against Mr. Richard Whitman, and consultation with the staff at Waterloo Road, that it is in the best interest of the school and its students for you to be reinstated as headmistress with immediate effect. __Whilst no formal action is to be taken against you, Waterloo Road will be subject to regular inspections over the course of the 2011/2012 academic year, until otherwise stated.'_

Karen read the body of the letter through twice in quick succession, feeling the knot of fear in her chest loosen each time she read the words… _unanimously agreed… reinstated as headmistress…_ She was going back! Happiness welled up inside of her at the thought and a relieved tear dripped down her cheek.

"Well…" Rob asked anxiously from where he was stood. He'd wanted to give her some space, but now he was incredibly nervous. "What's the verdict?" Wordlessly Karen gestured at him to take the letter from her, unsure whether she was currently capable of standing. He took it from her and quickly skim read it, his face splitting into a wide grin, "Karen that's fantastic!" He said, relieved.

She couldn't help the smile that crossed her face. "It is," She agreed. "As far as being inspected goes, that's nothing new there. We'll just have to make sure we leave no room for criticism this term."

Rob smiled proudly, "That's my girl!" He replied. "I told you it'd be okay."

But Karen wasn't listening to him, "I need to call Tom, we'll need to have a meeting." She reached for her phone.

Rob put out a hand to stop her, shaking his head slightly; she was in her element already, which didn't surprise him. Even before this morning she'd been making the preparations for the upcoming term. "Karen it's ten past seven," He pointed out, "Give him a chance to wake up first!" He sat down beside her.

"Sorry," Karen replied sheepishly, laying her phone on the arm of her chair. She looked at him. "So Mr Scotcher, any suggestions for passing the time?" She gave him a coy grin before deliberately reclining across the sofa.

Rob's eyes roamed over her body appreciatively; she was sitting there in one of his t-shirts, which clung to her curves perfectly. He leaned over her, brushing her hair back from her face. "I can think of one thing," He whispered in her ear, his breath grazing her cheek.

"Oh yeah?" She cocked her head to one side, and he leaned down pressing hot kisses down her jaw, finally capturing her lips with his own. A breathy sigh escaped from her mouth, and her arms wrapped around his back pulling him firmly against her.

"Why don't we take this into the bedroom?" Rob suggested against her lips, intoxicated by the feel of her body pressing against him. He broke their kiss, getting up from the sofa and holding out a hand invitingly. "I'd say a little celebration is in order." Karen willing took hold of his hand, her eyes clouding over, and he led her back upstairs, pushing her down onto the bed. She giggled, pulling him down on the bed to join her. His hands wandered across the contours of her body, palming her breasts through the shirt and feeling her nipples harden under his touch. Reaching further down her body, he grasped her sides and pulled the t-shirt swiftly over her head, before leaning down to kiss her again.

Karen kissed him back, her tongue slipping into his mouth, his hands tangling in her hair as they battled for control, although truthfully she was quite willing to submit. Following suit she awkwardly pulled Rob's t-shirt off, her hands travelling the planes of his body and lightly pinched his nipples. He let out a low groan, his hands coming up and gently cupping her breasts. He tore his mouth away from hers and began placing soft kisses against her neck. She moaned as he sucked gently on her pulse point, her body arching up off the bed.

Rob pressed himself against her in response and Karen could feel his hardness against her stomach. Using one of his legs he parted her own, slipping his thigh in between them. She raised her hips up, moving against him, eliciting a small whimper as she sought the much needed contact. Her wetness soaked through the cotton knickers she was wearing; this realisation causing Rob's member to twitch painfully. Karen reached down between their bodies, and into his boxers, her hand closing around his cock. He let out an animalistic groan as she moved up and down his length, stroking him torturously slowly. "God Ka-" His words were cut short and a low hiss escaped from his throat as she ran her thumb over his weeping head.

Rob sat up, straddling her body. His hands fell to her waist, as he awkwardly began to slide her underwear down her legs, deliberately brushing against her clit in the process, before continuing. Karen bit down hard on her lip stifling a gasp, his touch sending a new rush of liquid heat straight to her core. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him back down on top of her, feeling an overwhelming desire to feel him against her once more. Their lips crashed together, and tremors wracked Karen's body at the sheer intensity of her feelings. His lips moved downwards, dipping into the hollow of her throat before placing butterfly kisses across her breasts. She revelled in the sensation his ministrations were creating, for he'd now taken one of her nipples in his mouth and was alternating between licking and sucking. His hand came up to palm her other breast, rolling her nipple between his thumb and forefinger; Karen's eyes fluttered shut involuntarily as she moaned in delight. "Rob – please," she gasped, the words ripped from her throat.

"What do you want?" His voice had deepened, and he swallowed hard at the sight of her writhing beneath him.

Karen swallowed convulsively, clutching at the bed sheet with one hand. "You," She panted. "I want you Rob." He felt himself hardening at her admission, and sensing her desperation, nodded. How could he deny her anymore? Without speaking began to trail his kisses in a line down her stomach, finally reaching the place where she needed him the most. She was unable to suppress a moan as he placed a kiss on her clit, before continuing down with his tongue, though not slipping inside her. Rob paused to look at the expression on her face; her eyes were closed and her mouth was half open. Personally he never thought she'd looked as beautiful as she did just then. He took her swollen nub in his mouth and sucked hard, before stroking her with his tongue again. Alternating between long and slow licks, and short quick flicks of the tongue, each one pushing her further over the edge into oblivion. Every move he made sent electricity coursing through her body. "Oh God," she moaned, her hips bucking as she felt him pick up the rhythm.

"God can't help you now Karen," He whispered wickedly, pushing his tongue inside her briefly. He could feel himself beginning to climax; her taste combined with the intensity of her approaching orgasm was sending shockwaves throughout his body but he forced himself to keep going. "Rob… Oh Rob…" Karen's moans became more desperate, "I need you inside me. Now." She ordered between gasps.

She groaned at the loss of contact between them as he moved back up her body, placing a firm kiss on her lips and again at the taste of her own arousal. Removing his boxers, Rob looked down at her, positioning himself between her legs. Slowly he lowered himself on top of her, never breaking eye contact and she felt him teasingly run his cock over her entrance. "Rob I swear to God if you don't just fuck me –" She growled, the end of her insult lost as he slid inside her in one swift movement, at the same time grabbing both of her wrists and pinning her to the bed.

Rob smirked, the glare in her eyes replaced by a hooded expression. "How's that?" He teased.

"Just move," Karen managed through gritted teeth, rolling her hips upwards. Rob, deciding that he'd tortured her for long enough, slowly began to move inside her. He let out a groan relishing the feel of her tight walls around his cock. As he thrust in an out of her, Karen's hands became loose and he could feel her nails digging into his bag. They wandered down his body, desperately clutching at his arse in an effort to make him go deeper. She let out a frustrated sigh as Rob withdrew almost all the way; this changed to a loud whimper as he thrust back inside her, filling her completely.

Lifting her hips to meet his thrusts, she heard him moan into her shoulder and they settled into a comfortable rhythm; Rob alternating between thrusting hard and fast, and slow and gentle. He could feel her walls beginning to contract around him, and he knew it wouldn't be long before he climaxed either. Beads of sweat trickled down his chest and onto her body as he continued his motions. Karen's breathing was ragged; she let out a loud scream as she came, which he muffled by kissing her hard on the lips. He pushed himself in and out several more times, before coming with a low groan; her name on his lips.

They were still for a few minutes, Rob listening to her heart pounding against her ribcage. Steadying his breathing he rolled off of her, pulling her into his arms. Karen smiled at the gesture, "That was some celebration," She murmured exhaustedly, her eyes fluttering shut.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author Note:**

_Well you're finally getting this update guys, and let me tell you now it was HELL to write. It's more of a filler chapter to pass some time which is why I found it such a pain. Now I've got this part out of the way, the updates should be somewhat more frequent. _

_I'm not overly keen on this, but I like it more than I did before, so I'm leaving it as it is. Thank you to both Em, and Emily who have both been constantly prodding me for updates and motivating me to get this finished. If I didn't have people like you guys, I'd never do anything :P_

**About a month has passed between the previous chapter and this one. It is now the first day of the new term. I'm not overly sure when series 7 pt 1 was supposed to have ended, but I figured since there were exams it was June/July time which means this takes place at the beginning of the new academic year in September. **

_Please read, and hopefully leave a review. Now that this is out of the way we can get on with the real story :D_

_Leanne xx_

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**Disclaimer: **_I don't own Waterloo Road anymore than I did the last time I updated. :P These are property of SHED productions :) _

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**A TIME OF CHANGE**

**Chapter Two**

The early morning sunlight filtered in through the blinds and slowly Karen opened her eyes, regretting it instantly. The room was spinning and she could feel nausea churning in her stomach. She shut her eyes again, hoping it would make her feel better. It didn't. Not to mention her throat felt as rough as sandpaper, and her head felt as though it was playing host to a marching band. She struggled into a sitting position, every inch of her body screaming in protest. Slowly Karen swung her legs over the side of the bed, for she'd already discovered that any sudden movement didn't agree with her fragile state. After about a minute she stood, feeling momentarily dizzy and step by step made her way into the bathroom. She filled up a glass with water from the tap, and began to sip it slowly, hoping it would quell the rising sickness.

This was some hangover! It seemed she was finally starting to show her age, and Karen vowed it was the last time she ever let Rob talk her into going out on the night before work. Nausea washed over her again and she tried to take a deep breath, before promptly emptying her stomach contents in the bathroom sink. Swaying alarmingly from side to side she clutched at the edge of the sink to steady herself, her knuckles turning white, before giving way to the sickness once more.

Gasping for breath Karen felt a strong pair of arms wrap around her waist, and a gentle kiss being placed on her neck. "Now this wasn't exactly how I envisaged waking up," Rob teased. Karen opened her mouth to reply, and miserably shook her head as she was sick for a third time. Rob held her hair away from her face and began stroking her back, in what he hoped was a calming motion. Finally it seemed she had nothing left to expel, and ashen faced, she sank weakly against his body. Her knees felt weak, and she'd have fallen if he wasn't there supporting her. Rob lowered her onto the bathroom floor slowly, which she was grateful for because any sudden movement made her feel about ten times worse. "I said you were a lightweight," He smirked, passing her the glass from off the window sill.

"Do you think that's funny, Scotcher?" Karen replied, with only a hint of her usual humour, her throat hoarse from being sick. "I only had four drinks all evening." She complained miserably. There was nothing she hated more than being ill, whether it be self-induced or not.

Rob suppressed a smile, but thought it wise not to comment. "Do you want to go and get back in bed for a little while?" He asked. "It's only about six thirty. I can go and make you some toast…try and settle your stomach?" He dropped a kiss on the top of her head.

Karen's stomach gave a sudden lurch and she sighed, "I think I'd better stay here for a few more minutes, just to be on the safe side." She shivered involuntarily, slightly chilly sitting on the bathroom floor in just Rob's t-shirt.

"I'll be back in a second," Rob untangled himself from Karen and disappeared back into the bedroom, returning almost straight away with her fluffy white dressing gown. He draped it over her shoulders and she gave him a grateful smile, pulling it tighter around herself.

Karen reached out and took his hand in hers, gently stroking the back of it. "Thank you," She answered weakly, leaning against him. They remained like that for a few minutes before she spoke again. "All ready for your first day?"

After Karen had received the letter reinstating her she'd called a staff meeting to break the good news, and also to discuss new staffing appointments. Chris leaving at the end of term had left her in need of a new deputy, which after careful consideration she'd appointed Tom.

Karen had tried to convince Eleanor Chaudry to reconsider her resignation; they hadn't gotten off to the best of starts last year, and though Eleanor had messed up she'd also gone some way towards putting things right. But Karen could see why she felt it was time to move on, and following the completion of his PCGE Rob seemed to be the ideal candidate for the position. She'd initially been wary of the decision, worried what people would think, but Tom had convinced her she was doing it for the right reasons.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Rob answered breezily, although Karen could detect his underlying nerves. It was only natural though, especially in a place like Waterloo Road. "Lesson plans are all done, and my first class are year 7's so it shouldn't be too bad."

"You'll be fine," Karen told him reassuringly, her head resting on his chest. "Though if you don't get up and get dressed we're going to be late," She added as an afterthought, hearing the alarm in the bedroom go off.

* * *

When Karen came down the stairs almost an hour later, showered, dressed and feeling marginally more human, she walked into the kitchen to find Jess and Rob sat around the table; him with a slice of toast and her daughter eating dry coco pops, straight from the box. She shook her head, smiling slightly and moving around the table towards Rob.

He pushed his chair back from the table, and pulled her down onto his lap, "Feeling any better?" He asked, his arms locking around her waist and lips pressing against her neck.

"I'm never drinking again," Karen complained, wishing that her head didn't feel quite so fuzzy. As if reading her mind, Rob pulled a glass of water and some Paracetamol across the table towards her. She gave him a grateful half smile.

Jess raised her eyebrows, tutting in mock disapproval, "Are my eyes deceiving me or are you hung-over?" Karen just glared at her daughter, taking a large gulp of water. Rob's eyes twinkled at her daughter's antics, and he gave her a subtle nod. "What a fine example you set us children, Mother," She teased, placing the box of cereal on the side, and resting a hand subconsciously on her stomach. She was eighteen weeks pregnant now and had a considerable bump, especially given her size. Pregnancy agreed with her though, and over the last couple of weeks the morning sickness had completely subsided, leaving her with a healthy glow.

"Ah, she's just showing you how irresponsible getting drunk is," Rob commented, coming to Karen's defence.

Karen shot him a look, "I wasn't drunk," She protested, climbing off his lap and refilling her glass at the sink, but it was lost on them both as they exchanged sceptical glances across the table. This didn't go unnoticed but she didn't say anything, a small smile gracing her face. Karen had been surprised that both Jess and Harry had taken her new relationship so well, and even more so that it didn't bother them having Rob around a lot. All things considered the past few weeks had gone quite smoothly, if you didn't count Jess's horror at seeing Rob wandering around the landing in just his boxers, unaware that anyone else was there.

Rob finished the last mouthful of his breakfast and stood up, moving to stand beside her. It was only then Karen took a good look at him, dressed in a smart pair of black trousers and a blue shirt. "What do you think?" He asked, playing with his collar uncomfortably.

"Well I must say I'm impressed Mr Scotcher," Karen teased gently, slapping his hand away from his neck and taking it in her own. "Though I think I'll miss the overalls." Jess who'd been listening to their exchange, pulled a face and pouring a glass of milk, disappeared out of the kitchen to give them a few minutes, passing Harry on her way upstairs.

Rob, noticing that it was now just them in the room let go of her, placed his hands on her hips and pulled her flush against him. Not breaking eye contact, she leaned up on her tiptoes and kissed him gently. He reciprocated, his tongue grazing her lips and slipping into her mouth, hands slipping from her waist to underneath the blouse she was wearing.

"That was something I did not need to see." They hurriedly pulled apart at the sound of Harry's voice, and Karen turned to see him standing in the doorway, a grimace on his face. "There are places you can go and do things like that, namely the bedroom." He dropped his schoolbag by the table, and grabbed a slice of toast out of the rack.

Karen's cheeks finally seemed to have gained some colour, more than likely the result of her embarrassment than anything else. "Sorry love," She managed a smile, whilst trying to rearrange her clothing. "Do you want a lift in this morning?"

* * *

The journey to school that morning felt strange to Karen for several reasons. Firstly, it was only Harry who now attended school. He'd be in his final year now, and though she was proud of him, it was a melancholy feeling realising how much he'd grown up.

Jess had sat her a-levels in the summer, and though she hadn't done as well as predicted, was only re-sitting the exams after Christmas. She could have re-sat the year, as both Vicki and Ronan were doing but both Jess and Karen agreed she had more important things to focus on now. They'd got so much closer since Jess fell pregnant, and she found it a struggle to leave her, wrapped in a duvet on the sofa and watching the TV.

They climbed out of her car, Harry disappearing instantly, a hurried goodbye over his shoulder. For a moment Karen just stood and looked up at the school. Her school. Everything she'd fought for, and won. Since she'd been there, she'd never really considered what it meant to her, and being suspended had forced her to reevaluate this. She'd been a headmistress in no fewer than four schools prior to arriving at Waterloo Road, and had never really forged a connection with them. They were just jobs; at the end of the day she'd drive out of the car park and leave all thoughts of work there. Waterloo Road had changed that, and she actually looked forward to getting up every morning to come into work.

Despite the excess of negative publicity, Karen was undeniably proud of Waterloo Road, staff and pupils alike. She was proud it was her name above the door, and grateful that she'd been given a second chance. She felt Rob's arm wrap comfortably around her waist; he'd taken a step back while she surveyed her empire, sensing that she'd need a moment to readjust. Karen smiled into his shirt at his thoughtfulness, watching as the pupils began making their way through the gates in groups, ready for their first day of a new term.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author Note: **

_Thanks to everyone who has reviewed this so far and it's thanks to the harrassment of people on the WR forum that you're getting this next chapter :P_

_This is where things really start to take off, and I hope you enjoy._

_Please read and review :)_

_Leanne xx_

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**Disclaimer: **Still don't own Waterloo Road (:

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**A TIME OF CHANGE**

**Chapter Three**

"Blimey, you look about as rough as I feel," Karen looked up from her desk and smiled at her new deputy, standing in the doorway.

"Any more of that and I might start to wonder why I promoted you," She answered flippantly, putting things away in her desk. "You had a good night after we left, I take it?"

Tom grinned at her, "You could say that," He conceded finally, wincing as a noise outside the window sounded about a hundred times louder.

"I know the feeling," Though Karen still didn't feel her usual self, she couldn't help but to hide a smile at his discomfort. "Here," She passed over the silver foil containing two Paracetamol. "Take these, you'll feel better for it."

He shot her a grateful smile, "Assembly starts in twenty minutes, I just came to find out if you wanted to brief the staff before or after?"

"Thanks Tom, I'll do it now," She stood up quickly, feeling a momentary wave of dizziness, "Whoa," She commented, leaning on her desk to steady herself. "I didn't think I'd had that much to drink."

Tom suppressed a snort, "Well it can't be easy keeping up with us young 'uns," He lowered his voice slightly. "Especially Janeece." At his comment they both glanced across at the secretary's desk. She didn't notice them, relying on one arm to prop herself up, and looking thoroughly hung over. Stifling a grin, they both left her to it, Tom pushing open the door to the staff room.

"Good morning everyone," Karen couldn't help but to smile as she stepped into the staff room and saw her colleagues sat drinking coffee, though it made her feel slightly queasy again. Tom sat down next to Grantly, who was sat in his usual spot moaning about the contents of the paper. It was good to see some things never changed. Though some change, she reflected, was definitely a good thing. Rob was stood over by the coffee machine talking with the new Spanish teacher Karen had hired. Her gaze lingered on him, and noticing her eyes on him, his face broke into a grin.

"Right, I'll get straight to the point," Karen started, forcing herself to look away from Rob, "You all know that as a result of my suspension the LA will be poking their noses in this year," She felt herself beginning to blush lightly, still ashamed at the negative attention she'd brought to the school.

"More than usual you mean?" Grantly said sardonically, and everyone laughed. Karen had never been more grateful for his intervention. "It's not your fault Karen;" Tom spoke once their chuckles had subsided, "No one thinks that."

She looked around at their nods of agreement, and bestowed a wobbly smile on them in return. "First and foremost they'll be assessing my leadership and the communication between me and my staff, but that's not to say they won't be looking at other areas. So this year we need to keep our noses clean and stay out of the limelight – easier said than done I know," She added swiftly, fielding a comment she was sure would come from Grantly. "We're going to show the LA that we're not a failing school… we're a good school, where kids want to come and learn."

There was silence in the wake of her words and Karen could tell they were all sceptical. She didn't blame them. She would have been too, but her reinstatement had reinforced what Rob and the students of Waterloo Road had been telling her all along. She was a good headmistress, and she would turn this around. "I wonder what it'd be like to have a quiet year," Grantly mused breaking the silence once more, and causing more laughter.

Despite herself Karen couldn't help the smile that crossed her face, "That's all I wanted to say to you this morning." The worries she'd had about returning had dissipated and though she was physically still suffering from the after effects of a night out drinking, she'd never felt better. "It's good to be back," She added quietly, so only those nearest to her heard.

The school bell rang, and everyone got to their feet to start shepherding students into the hall for assembly. Karen turned to leave, and stopped when Tom called her name, turning around to face him. "It's good to have you back."

* * *

Karen stepped up onto the stage, feeling a strong sense of pride as she looked out at her students. "Good morning Waterloo Road," The pupils continued to talk. "Alright you lot, settle down now!" Karen raised her voice slightly, so she was speaking over them.

"I see old Fisher's back here!" Finn exclaimed in a loud whisper, just as the students finished their various conversations, his words carrying across the hall as a result. Karen suppressed a smile, "Something you wish to say out loud Mr Sharkey?" She asked looking down at him.

Finn's ears reddened slightly but he grinned cheekily, knowing she'd caught exactly what he said. "I said it's good to have you back, Mrs Fisher." The rest of the student body erupted into cheering and applause at his statement, and Karen couldn't prevent the tears that formed in her eyes. She'd never been one for emotional displays but couldn't help but feel touched by their words.

"It's very kind of you to say so," Karen said, a little catch in her voice, "Nothing makes me prouder than to be able to stand in front of you this morning and welcome you back for a new term." She was aware that she now had their undivided attention, something which she couldn't ever recall happening before. She looked down at the piece of paper she was holding and folded it in half. "We all know this last year has been anything but easy," She started to speak, her prepared speech going out of the window. "But it's time to put that behind us now, and focus on now. This year is going to be a big year for Waterloo Road. We're going to show the LA that this is a school to be proud of. Who is with me?" She was met with a cacophony of yells and shouts, and waited for a minute for them to calm down again.

"I'd like you all to start by welcoming two new members of our teaching staff. Firstly, to say welcome back to someone who has been a familiar face around the school during the past year, our site manager," She searched the back of the hall for his face, and for a second their eyes locked. "Mr Scotcher has been working towards a qualification in teaching, and after successfully completion, will replace Miss Chaudry teaching English Literature." This announcement was met with some cheering, especially from the elder students who'd been taught by Eleanor last term. "Secondly, to our new Spanish teacher, Miss Hammond, who I'm sure you'll all help to feel a part of this school."

Karen took a deep breath feeling the familiar stirrings of nausea welling up again, "I guess all that remains for me to say is off you go, and have a great first day back." She said, trying to stay composed, even though the room had started to spin. The sound of hundreds of chairs scraping across the wooden floor went straight through Karen, and she quickly made her way off the stage, willing herself not to be sick. Not looking where she was going she collided directly with Rob. "Hey! Where's the fire?" He said teasingly, before drawing back and taking a closer look at her. She was as pale as any ghost, and he could feel her shaking. "Are you okay?"

"I think I need to sit down," Karen told him faintly, grabbing hold of his arm to prevent herself falling as her legs gave way. Rob used one hand to grab the top chair off a stack, and gently lowered her down onto it. He held the back of his hand against her forehead and noted that she felt slightly warm.

Karen stayed sat down for about ten minutes, as gradually her legs began to stop trembling, and she didn't think she felt quite as nauseous. "Let's get you back up to your office," Rob said easily, wrapping his arm around her waist to support her. She was silently relieved that there was no one around to witness her in this state. Aside from Janeece that was, who seemed to have perked up quite considerably, looking at them with raised eyebrows, as Rob steered her into the office and closed the door.

Feeling completely drained, Karen sank down onto the sofa, shaking and feeling as though she was about to be violently sick. Rob noticed this, and helpfully passed her the bin from underneath her desk, just in time. "That alcohol really didn't agree with you did it?" He said softly, rubbing her comfortingly on the back.

"I'm a fine example to set to the students," Karen groaned in response, ducking her head again, and not surfacing for several minutes. "Don't you have a lesson to teach?" She said weakly, between gasping for breaths. She wiped the back of her hand across her mouth.

Rob handed her a drink of water, which she accepted gratefully. "My first lesson isn't until after break," He reminded her, "I went over my lesson plans this morning; I'm looking forward to it."

"You'll do great," Karen reassured him, and he was relieved to see that she'd got some of the colour back in her cheeks. She seemed to be feeling better too, and even made a joke as they engaged in light hearted conversation. "I'd better get on with some work," She said finally, knowing that despite what he said he'd want to go over his lesson plans at least twice more. Rob nodded, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead before turning to leave.

"I'll send the new site manager to sort that out," He winked, jerking his head towards the bin beside her.

* * *

Karen had proceeded to be sick the following four days that week; she'd also fainted twice more and her temper had flared something chronic, as Rob was quick to discover when failing to order the right pizza. After much cajoling and gentle persuasion he'd convinced her to go to the doctors for a check up, because they were certain this was no hangover.

"Karen Fisher," As the doctor called her name, she suddenly wished Rob was there with her. He'd offered to go with her but she'd waved his concern away, with the reassurance that everything was fine, and used the spare time she had that Friday morning. He couldn't have come with her anyway because he had a lesson, she reasoned. "Karen Fisher," Her name was called again with more insistence, and feeling foolish she stood up, her legs feeling like they were made of lead.

She followed the doctor into the room, and perched awkwardly on the edge of a chair.

"Karen, I'm Dr. Lawrence," She introduced herself; giving her patient a smile for it was clear she was feeling on edge. Karen returned the smile politely, though her mind was racing as she began to think of the endless possibilities her check up would uncover. "What can I do for you today?"

The doctor nodded as Karen explained her symptoms, occasionally interrupting to ask questions, before motioning her to lie back on the bed. She lifted her blouse up and tried not to wince at the coldness of the doctors hands against her stomach.

The next question was one she wasn't expecting, "When was your last period?" Karen was embarrassed to admit that she couldn't be sure, putting it down to both the stress of the last couple of months and the fact that she was a middle aged woman, approaching the menopause. "I see," Dr Lawrence replied in response. "I think I have a fairly good idea what's been making you feel so unwell, but I'd like you to take a test to be sure."

Karen blinked twice, her mouth falling open in shock because there was no mistaking the doctor's words. But she couldn't be. She and Rob had always been so careful. Except for that one time after she'd found out about her reinstatement. Feeling like a foolish teenage girl, she reached out and wordlessly took the pregnancy test, only half listening as Dr Lawrence told her where the toilets were.

She stood by the sink, wryly looking at her reflection in the mirror; anything to stop the frenzied glances she cast on the test in her hand. 3 minutes felt like an eternity, and she began nervously pacing the small toilet. Deep down she felt that she knew what the result would be without having to look but it didn't stop the hopeful breath that caught in her throat, as she heard the test beep.

A tear rolled down her cheek, blinding her vision and making the blue line disappear. If only it was that simple. Karen closed her eyes and counted to ten, childishly hoping that when she opened them, this wouldn't be real. She forced herself to look down at the white stick and swallowed hard. She was indeed pregnant.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author note:**

_Thanks for your reviews guys! And to all the people who have favourited/story alerted I would really love to hear what you think._

_Here's the next part for you. I won't be able to update again until Tuesday night at the earliest, as I'm away for the weekend._

_I hope you enjoy!_

_Please read and review :)_

_Leanne xx_

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**Disclaimer:** _I don't own Waterloo Road. Not that there'd be any point in suing me because I'm a broke student :')_

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**A TIME OF CHANGE**

**Chapter Four**

In the months to come Karen would never know how she managed to drive back to the school without causing an accident. She'd walked out of the doctors in a daze, barely listening as she was instructed to book a scan as soon as possible, and told how best to take care of herself during pregnancy. It wasn't as if it was her first child.

Now hot tears rolled down her cheeks, blighting her vision and she was shaking violently, gripping the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles had turned white from the effort. She stopped at a set of traffic lights inhaling deeply, which in turn caused her to choke. Panicking as she struggled to catch her breath, she pulled her car into the nearest lay by, turned off the ignition and sobbed. How could she have been so careless? She couldn't raise another baby, not at her time of life. She had three almost grown up children of her own and was weeks away from becoming a grandma for heavens sake! The idea of it was ridiculous. And what would Rob say? Her thoughts turned to her boyfriend; they'd been officially a couple for barely three months, he too had a troubled teenager of his own - and here she was dropping this kind of news on him. They'd just gotten settled into some kind of routine, and this would change everything.

Karen, having regained enough co – ordination to be able to navigate the roads, drove through the school gates and into the car park, reversing into her empty space but not getting out of the car. Her legs seemed to have lost the ability to function, and she couldn't stop the panic that set in again now that she was back at the school. Her chest felt constricted and she found herself struggling to breathe, the thought of having to find Rob and break the news making her feel sick to the stomach – though that was potentially the morning sickness. She just felt so guilty. A baby was supposed to be wonderful news, and there was Karen worrying about how much of a negative impact it would have on their lives.

Rob had seen Karen's car pull in on his way up to the staff room for lunch. He watched her from the window for a minute, frowning when she didn't get out. Though he'd tried to stay calm about the doctors for her sake, he couldn't help privately worrying about what they'd say. Abandoning the notion of a steaming cup of coffee and the sticky bun that was waiting for him, he turned in the opposite direction and walked back through the double doors at the end of the corridor.

Her head rested on the steering wheel, and she barely noticed Rob get in the passenger seat of the car beside her, jumping when his hand touched her shoulder. "Rob," She muttered, roughly wiping her eyes. "I was going to come and find you," She managed before her façade crumbled, and she fell to pieces in front of him.

Rob was alarmed; he'd rarely seen Karen break down. She was usually so strong and resilient, and seeing her like this confirmed that there was something the matter. "Karen, sweetheart," He awkwardly reached across to comfort her, the gear stick getting in the way. He brushed her hair back from her face so she couldn't hide from him, and cupped her cheek tenderly in his hand, tilting her head up so she had to look at him. "I need you to tell me what's wrong," He said soothingly. "Whatever it is can't be so bad that we can't deal with it together." The words fell out of his mouth without thinking, and now he just hoped it wasn't something beyond their control.

Karen swallowed hard, reaching out and gripping Rob's hand tightly, "Do you mean that?" She asked her voice small and unsure, as she looked into his eyes for any indication that he didn't mean what he was saying.

"Of course I do," He reassured her, becoming increasingly worried and wincing as he felt her nails digging into the back of his hand. "But you need to talk to me. I can't help you unless you tell me."

"Before I tell you, I just want you to know that I didn't mean for things to end up like this," Karen rambled, finally finding her voice. "I know you've said you'll be there, but I'll understand if you can't-"

"Karen, slow down," Rob spoke calmly, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "You're not making any sense-" He frowned at her agitated state, because nothing he was doing seemed to make her feel any better.

"I'm pregnant," She blurted out, the tears springing unbidden into her eyes in the wake of the bombshell she'd just dropped. She broke their gaze, and turned to look out of the window so she didn't have to see the disappointment on his face.

He blinked twice, her words sounding very far away. "Pregnant?" He was dimly aware of himself speaking. "What? How?" Rob was mentally kicking himself for his lack of suitable responses to her statement, but in truth he didn't have a clue what to say. His head felt as though it was floating some million miles away from the rest of his body, his mind was racing, and he felt as though his heart was about to burst from his chest.

Karen managed a watery chuckle at his words, "I think it's a bit late to be asking how babies are made Rob," She teased gently, testing the waters to see how he was going to react once the shock had worn off. "Aren't you going to say anything?" She asked, anxiously, her gaze shifting from a bird on the fence post back to anxiously searching his features for an answer.

"Is that all?" The words had fallen out of his mouth before he had a chance to process them, and he was rewarded by Karen shooting him an icy glare. Rob was sufficiently glad that the statement 'if looks could kill' was purely a figure of speech. Well at least the pregnancy explained the hormones.

"I've just told you I'm having your child, and all you can say is, is that all?" She asked, her tone rising incredulously, at his lack of tact.

"I didn't mean it like that," He hurriedly backtracked, inwardly groaning as he realised he'd said the wrong thing. "I was expecting you to tell me you had cancer or something," He muttered, his head coming to rest in his hands.

Despite herself, Karen produced a smile. "No, just a bun in the oven," She quipped light-heartedly, awash with relief now that she'd got the news off her chest and shared it with him.

Dazed, Rob looked at up her words, still shaking his head in disbelief, "Wow," He said a slight tremor in his voice. "Are you going to keep it?" The question rolled off his tongue automatically, and he could feel himself starting to regain some control over his reactions.

"Yes," Karen said firmly, surprised at where this sudden decision had come from. In the hour since she'd found out, she'd barely thought any further forward than getting through the rest of the day and telling Rob, but as she answered it seemed like an innate part of her had always known it. As she spoke, she knew there was no way she could even consider a termination. This baby was a part of her now. "If you don't feel you can be a part of this, I'd rather you told me now. It won't change my decision but I'll know what I'm facing." Her words were slightly stilted, but she eyed him intently wanting him to know she meant every word.

"Don't be ridiculous," Rob spoke instantly, looking at her as though she'd just sprouted an extra head. "This baby is a part of me too; of course I'm going to stick around."

He expected his words to reassure her, and was surprised to see she was near to tears again, "You don't get it," She whispered, "I don't want you to stick around, as you put it just because you feel a sense of responsibility for the situation. I want you to be a part of our baby's life because you want to be."

"Karen, I do want that." Rob said patiently, leaning over to "I know we've not been together all that long, but I –"

"No," She inhaled sharply. She had a feeling she knew what he was going to say next, and the fear she felt at hearing him say those three words made her freeze. It was too soon, and she didn't ever want to doubt it, she didn't ever want to think he'd only said them because she'd backed him into a corner with the pregnancy. Rob just looked at her, a confused expression in his eyes. "Don't say it," She breathed out tearfully. He opened his mouth to question her, but she stubbornly shook her head. "I mean it Rob, just don't." Her words came out much sharper than she intended, and she mentally berated herself.

The look on his face changed from one of confusion to hurt, and Rob just nodded trying to rid himself of the lump that had formed in his throat. "Okay," He said simply, giving her hand a gentle squeeze to let her know that he was still there, when she was ready to acknowledge his feelings.

Karen felt a pang of regret and guilt at his touch. There Rob was just trying to make things easier for her, whilst she was putting up that many walls around herself, she could give China a run for its money. Swallowing hard, she spoke into the silence. "I think I need a few hours to myself." She forced herself to meet his eyes.

Rob met her gaze evenly, something in her expression making him realise that nothing he said to her at the moment would help. "Okay," He repeated, letting go of her and leaning over to place a soft kiss on her cheek. "I'll see you after school?" There was a question in his voice, and Karen didn't have the words to reply, simply nodding in response. She waited until he'd gotten out of the car and watched him walk away, feeling a painful ache settle somewhere in her chest. Absent-mindedly Karen's hand came to rest on her flat stomach, consciously aware of how much her life was going to change from today.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author Note: **

_Thanks for your reviews guys, especially to Hailey this time around. I appreciate everyone's reviews immensely though. _

_Here's the next chapter; it is very angst filled I'm afraid, which wasn't what I intended. Unfortunately Karen had other ideas so what can you do? ;)_

_Please read and hopefully review. _

_Leanne xx_

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**Disclaimer:**

_I do not own Waterloo Road. _

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**A Time of Change**

**Chapter Five **

After Rob had left Karen had fled to the sanctity of her office, and having instructed Janeece that she didn't want to be disturbed, was now drawing comfort from those four walls. She'd immersed herself in the mountain of paperwork rendered slightly amazed by the amount of it, especially given they'd only been back for a week.

She didn't know why she was behaving like this; since she'd found out about her pregnancy she'd been more worried about Rob's reaction than anything else, but he'd taken it exceptionally well. She should have been over the moon. Instead she'd pushed him away and even now she couldn't work out why. Karen had meant it when she said she didn't want Rob to be a part of their baby's life simply because he felt responsible but deep down she knew he wasn't like that. He'd raised one son almost single-handedly during his teenage years and despite Aiden's behaviour over the past few months, Karen had to admit he'd done a pretty good job.

Rob had been about to tell her he loved her and that in itself was unnerving. There had only been one other man who'd told her that and she'd spent twenty-two years married to him, yet here was Rob telling her he loved her after not even three months together. It was strange how such beautiful words could cause such a terrifying emotion.

She'd been pregnant three times before and the sudden rushes of hormones shouldn't have been anything new to her but she couldn't recall them ever being this bad with any of her previous pregnancies – though that perhaps had something to do with them being planned (Bex and Jess at least.) Becoming pregnant for a third time had also been something of a shock, but she and Charlie had been happily married and he'd reassured her that they could cope with a new baby. In the past hour alone Karen had gone from feeling shocked and terrified to feeling slightly elated, but now the worry was beginning to set back in. There were such a conflicting range of emotions, and truthfully she was finding it altogether rather overwhelming.

Something that did scare her was the strength of her convictions for keeping the baby. She wasn't under any illusions as to just how hard raising this child would be; it hadn't exactly been a walk in the park with any of her children so far, not to mention she'd aged considerably since then, but if there was any way of describing Karen Fisher, it was determined. She would make a go of raising this baby.

A gentle knock on the door broke through her train of thought as she looked up from what she was doing and saw Rob hovering in the doorway, unsure of how his reception would be received. Karen smiled weakly, motioning him to come inside and shut the door so they were away from her secretary's prying eyes. "Hey," Rob started awkwardly, sitting down on her sofa and interlocking his fingers. "I know you said you needed space, and I wanted to respect that but –" He hesitated, "I just needed to see you!" After he'd walked away Rob also went and found somewhere to sit and think; he shut himself in a disused classroom and tried to mark a pile of year 11 essays. He'd done about six, when he threw down his pen in frustration; not at the work but at his own lack of concentration. He couldn't stop thinking about Karen. He had to go and find her for the sake of his own sanity.

"No Rob," Karen started softly, her eyes coming up to meet his. "I'm sorry for the way I acted before."

Rob found that he didn't need to hear it, shaking his head and dismissing her apology. "It's understandable," He assured her quietly, "I'm sorry if I upset you because of what I said."

"You didn't," Karen said, beginning to feel agitated again and running a frustrated hand through her hair, "It's not you, it's me." She got up from behind her desk and walked over to the window, gazing out across the campus. "When I went to the doctors it never even crossed my mind that I could be pregnant," It felt strange to hear the words coming out of her own mouth. "Now I am, and I don't know how I'm supposed to feel, but how I do feel doesn't seem right," The words rolled off her tongue without much thought and she looked surprised, but as she spoke them Karen knew they summed up how she was feeling. "I remember when I found out I was pregnant with Bex and Jess, I was overjoyed – I couldn't stop smiling for weeks," She recalled two of the best times of her life. "Harry wasn't planned but I was happy because Charlie convinced me we'd find a way to make it work." Rob wondered if Karen was speaking to him or herself, but he didn't interrupt. "I don't feel any of that this time," She admitted. "All I feel is scared. There's no room for anything else."

Karen wrapped her arms around herself, and Rob was astounded at her display of vulnerability; he got up from his chair and went to stand with her at the window, his arms wrapping around her waist. He smiled slightly as she allowed her body to relax in the embrace he'd created. That was something. "Things are quite a bit different this time sweetheart, but it's okay," Rob murmured, brushing her hair back from her face, "And it's okay to feel differently about it."

There was panic in Karen's eyes at his words, and he thought he knew what was behind it. She had a fear of the unknown, and couldn't handle not being in control of a situation, or anything that reflected change – he'd noticed it during her two weeks suspension. He gently turned her around to face him, "its okay Karen," Rob reassured her again, taking her hands and giving them a gentle squeeze. "You don't have to cope with all these worries on your own," He laced their fingers together, "Because I meant what I said earlier. I'm going to be here for you and our baby," Rob gently rested one hand on her stomach. "Things are going to change a lot over the next few months, but you need to trust that I'm not going anywhere."

Karen stiffened at his words pulling her hands away from him, tears slipping down her cheeks which she was powerless to stop. There it was again. _Trust. _Putting her faith in something that she had no control over. "How can I?" She choked out, "How can I trust you when I can't even trust myself?" The anguish in her voice made Rob's heart break, and he didn't have an answer to give her but it appeared to be a rhetorical question because she continued to speak. "I feel so much for you – the last two months wouldn't have happened if I didn't – but there's still something missing, and that's my fault." Rob wanted to tell her not to blame herself, but she shook her head at him before he could speak. "I want to have everything with you that I had with Charlie, I want to love you completely but I don't know how. I'm scared to let myself."

Her voice was little more than a whisper but she and Rob were stood just inches apart and he could feel her breath on his face and the heat emanating from her because of her worked up state. He couldn't say he was surprised at her confession; since they'd been together Rob felt she was holding back but he wouldn't have known how deep her fears ran. Karen was terrified of letting him any further into her heart. "You need to let go of that fear," He told her quietly, "I know what he did and how much it hurt, and I know how hard it is but you've got to let it go. It's in the past now and you can't let it control your future."

They fell silent as Karen digested Rob's words. He seemed to be deliberating on the edge of speech, his mouth half open, "You told me not to say it," He said finally, throwing caution to the winds, "But I think you need to hear it. I love you Karen, It may have only been a few weeks but I can say that without any shadow of doubt," An uneasy silence descended on them, "Its okay that you don't believe me now, I just hope that one day you will because I want us to be a proper family."

"I want to believe you," Karen managed desperately willing him to believe her. He could sense a _but _was coming and watched her intently, "But I just can't." There it was. The room began to spin slightly and Karen swayed from side to side. Rob automatically placed his hands either side of her waist to steady her. This simple gesture, the comfort of just a single touch caused her to fall forward, sobbing heavily and burying her face in his shirt. Rob's arms wrapped tightly around her waist and he dropped a kiss onto her hair, his eyes watering as he inhaled her scent; everything from the perfume she wore to the shampoo she used.

Rob gently led her over to the sofa and they both sat down, "You know what I think?" He began once she'd stemmed the flow of tears, "I think you were right earlier. You do need some time by yourself to think things through, but I think it'll take more than a few hours, which is why –" He paused, knowing she wasn't going to like what he was about to say anymore than he liked suggesting it. "Which is why I'm going to go home for a couple of days, I think it'll do you some good."

Karen began to cry again and Rob hated knowing that he was responsible for it. She felt a familiar dull ache in her chest at his words and she wanted nothing more than to scream at him, to protest that it was a bad idea, but she couldn't. The words wouldn't form themselves properly and lodged in her throat because she knew it was the right thing to do; even if the thought of it killed her. She became dimly aware that Rob was speaking again but the words barely penetrated her system, "Please don't doubt how I feel about you," He pleaded, wishing she'd look him in the eye. "I'm doing this so we have a chance."

"I know," Karen replied flatly finally looking up, both her eyes and voice were now void of any trace of emotion. "I know you're right."

Rob was slightly taken aback by her words but he knew why she was behaving the way she was. When Karen was upset she shut down completely, to protect herself but also to stop herself reacting inappropriately and he knew this was what she was doing now. She seemed to be ignoring the fact that he was still sat there and had leaned back in the sofa, closing her eyes. "I'll leave you to it," His voice was ragged and she didn't acknowledge him as he left.

Karen heard the office door shut quietly behind him and opened her eyes, staring wildly around the empty office. A strangled sob was ripped from her throat and her eyes stung from the effort of trying not to cry. She slid off the sofa and onto the floor, her arms coming up to wrap around her knees, her head resting on her legs as she wept.


	6. Chapter 6 pt1

**Author Note: **

_**Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed this story. I'm so pleased that people are enjoying reading it. Here's the next update, and it's been split in two parts because I felt it was too long as one; plus I like where I've ended the first half. I shall update again as soon as I've finished typing up the second half!**_

_**Enjoy, please read and review!**_

_**Leanne xx**_

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**Disclaimer: **

_**I don't own Waterloo Road. Please don't sue me ;) **_

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**A Time of Change**

**Chapter Six(1)**

It was late when Karen left the school that evening. Darkness had crept over the office as the sun disappeared and there was a small lamp lighting the shadowy room. She'd buried herself in paperwork for as long as she could to avoid the prospect of going home without Rob. He'd left an hour earlier; she'd seen him from her window and knew he'd seen her too, when looking back up at the single lit window of the building. Karen couldn't stop the tears from falling as she watched him drive away. Eventually she'd packed her things away, and throwing the small room into complete darkness walked through her empty school. She'd never felt more alone.

Stepping outside she pulled her coat tighter around her body, because although it was only the beginning of September there was a distinct autumn chill in the air. As she drove home Karen's thoughts turned to how she was going to field the questions from their children. None of them were stupid, and they'd clearly be able to tell something was up when she told them that Rob had gone home for the weekend. Pulling up in her drive she turned the key in the ignition and the engine stopped humming but she didn't get out of the car. Karen's stomach had tied itself in knots and she couldn't dispel the painful ache that had settled in her chest earlier that day. Reaching for her bag and box file, she locked the car behind her and let herself quietly into the house. "Mum, is that you?" Jess called, her disembodied voice floating down the hall. Karen sighed checking her reflection briefly in the mirror – and deeming it passable that she looked like she'd simply had one of those days – pushed open the door to the lounge.

Jess and Aiden were curled together on the two-seater sofa and whereas usually the sight would have made her smile, tonight it only seemed to make her heartache worse. "Hello love, Aiden."

Her daughter lifted her head of Aiden's chest at her mum's presence, "You're late home," She commented; it was only ten past seven but since Karen and Rob had been together she finally seemed able to leave her work behind, arriving home no later than five usually.

Karen ran a hand through her hair and sighed at her daughter's perceptiveness, "Terrible day," She murmured, resisting the urge to go and pour herself a very large glass of wine. "Aiden your dad has asked me to tell you he'll be spending a couple of days at your house." Karen tried to control the emotion behind her words, but it wouldn't have made a difference even if she could.

At her words, Jess' eyes fixed firmly on her mother, who stared back at her unblinking. "Why? What's happened?" She asked.

Karen forced a smile and fought to control the tears that threatened to give her away, "It's nothing you need to worry about," She tried to reassure her. "Rob and I just felt it might do us both some good if we spent a couple of days apart."

"Why? It's not like we haven't practically moved in here already," Aiden pointed out. "Surely you're doing this whole dating thing a bit backwards." Neither he nor Jess had been particularly impressed when their parents had gotten together, but they'd given it a chance and Aiden had been forced to admit that he was wrong about Karen, and that he was liking how settled he and his dad had become in the Fishers' home.

Karen couldn't help but to realise exactly how ironic Aiden's words were as she thought of the tiny life growing inside her. "It isn't like it's a permanent arrangement," She told them lightly, wishing she could will herself to believe her words as well. "I'm going to go and make a start on tea."

Karen disappeared out of the room and Jess and Aiden exchanged a look which clearly said they disbelieved her. They didn't know what had gone on but they were determined not to let it change anything. For the first time in a while things were beginning to settle down, and neither of them wanted that stability rocked. Jess untangled herself from her boyfriend, he helped her to stand and she followed her mum into the kitchen, where she was clattering about with pans and pots. "So what's really wrong?" Jess asked, leaning against the kitchen cupboards, a hand casually resting on her bump.

Karen jumped at the sound of her daughter's voice, and Jess could make out her sniffing back tears as she replied. "What makes you think anything is wrong?" She furiously began to knead the bread dough she was in the process of making and bit down on her lip to refrain from crying in front of her.

"Where do you want me to start? You're late home, you're not yourself and to put it mildly, I wouldn't want to be that piece of dough right now," Karen emitted a watery chuckle at her words. "Not to mention that Rob isn't here, and you haven't even asked me how the hospital went."

Karen's head whipped around at her words and she groaned inwardly. It had been Jess' twenty week scan today, how could she have forgotten? "How did it go?" She asked anxiously.

Jess didn't seem upset that her mum hadn't remembered; she was just pleased to have gotten some kind of reaction from her. "I'll be back in a second," She disappeared out of the room, returning almost instantly. "Here," She told her, holding out a scan photo. Karen wiped her hands on a tea towel and carefully took it from her, a soft smile appearing as she looked down at the picture. "Meet your granddaughter," Jess added quietly.

Karen, whose fingers had been carefully tracing the outline of her grandchild, looked up at her words, "Granddaughter? You're having a little girl?" Jess could only nod, a radiant smile painted on her lips and her eyes brimming with overjoyed tears. "Oh come here," She closed the distance between them and pulled her daughter into a tight hug. "Some days I still can't believe my little girl is having a baby," She whispered, choking on the words as they became affected by her own tears.

"I know," Jess answered, her voice also constricted with emotion, "I can't believe I'm halfway through already. It seems so strange to think that in a few months time I'll be –" She paused, placing a hand on her stomach and frowning for a second before her face split into a grin.

"Are you okay sweetheart?" Karen couldn't help but to notice the panicked expression on her daughter's face. Wordlessly, Jess pulled away from her and taking her mum's hand placed it on her bump.

Karen let out a tearful breath as she felt her granddaughter's tiny kicks, and she was on the verge of tears again but had to laugh at Jess' words, "Say hello to Granny Karen," She said lightly, meeting her mum's eyes, her own hand rubbing her stomach in a circular motion.

Her mum retracted her hand, "I'll give you Granny Karen," She teased, a faint smile lingering on her face, which Jess was relieved to see. "I'm so proud of you Jess." She added seriously.

Her daughter's eyes were still watering and she gave her mum a mock glare, "It's a good job I wear waterproof make up these days," She joked, sighing when she barely raised a smile. "What's wrong Mum?" Jess asked cautiously, pulling out a chair and sitting down. "Have you and Rob had a fight?"

Karen sighed resignedly, joining her daughter at the kitchen table, "Not exactly," She replied unenthusiastically, "It's complicated love."

"When has this family ever been anything but?" Jess joked, and Karen was forced to concede that she had a point.

"He told me he loved me," Karen admitted quietly, knowing that Jess wouldn't let the matter rest until she'd given a satisfactory reason. She found herself nervously twisting a tea towel around her hands.

Jess wasn't sure whether she was speaking to her, or just to herself. Her eyes widened with both surprise and confusion in equal measure, "And this is a bad thing?" She checked.

Karen let out a frustrated groan, "No," She answered instantaneously, "Yes – I don't know." Her voice became muffled as she buried her face in her hands, overwhelmed by the enormity of the situation.

The young girl frowned still not able to see what the big deal was, and why it meant they were spending time apart. Especially when it was obvious by her behaviour that it was the last thing her mum wanted. "What did you say?"

"I told him I didn't know how I felt," Karen answered, biting her lip and wincing when she tasted blood. "I wanted to tell him I loved him Jess, but I don't know if do," She confessed.

"So you're taking a couple of days to work out how you feel about him?" Jess questioned, and her mum nodded, unable to speak. "Will he be back on Monday?"

It hurt for Karen to think any further forward than that night, and she shrugged miserably, "I don't know love," She answered heavily. "I really don't know."

* * *

**The following morning: **

"Morning Mum, you're up early!" Jess commented looking up from her cup of coffee, her eyes falling on the t-shirt Karen was wearing. She couldn't help but to notice the redness around her eyes, but she didn't admit that she and Aiden had heard her crying in the early hours of that morning. It was only just after half past nine, but since Rob had been involved with Karen the two of them rarely made it out of bed before lunchtime on the weekends; something the kids were quick to laugh at. They were like a pair of teenagers again.

Karen sighed, rubbing her tired eyes and wishing she'd thought to put her dressing gown on because she could feel Jess staring at her. "I know," She answered wryly, "I couldn't sleep." It had been the first night she'd spent without Rob in ten weeks and she couldn't believe the loneliness that consumed her. Her eyes had filled with tears as she inhaled his scent on her pillows, and she'd cried until they were raw before pulling on his t-shirt and falling into a restless sleep only to wake up two hours later in a cold sweat, with tears dripping down her cheeks. "Aiden still in bed?" She questioned changing the subject, surprised he wasn't up and fussing over Jess as he had been since they got back together.

Jess shook her head, now with a mouthful of buttered toast, "He's taken Harry to play football and then they're going to the cinema." She explained, once she'd swallowed her food. "Thought we could use a girly day," Karen's eyes welled up at the sentiment behind it, and she managed a tight smile. "I wondered if you fancied going into the city," She rested a hand on her stomach, "Now we know this little one is a girl I thought we could do a bit of baby shopping and maybe grab lunch somewhere."

A tear rolled down Karen's cheek, for what felt like the millionth time that weekend and she hugged her daughter, dropping a kiss on the top of her head. "I'd love to," She answered hesitantly before voicing her concerns, "I thought you'd rather be doing that with Aiden though."

Jess waved away her mother's comment, "Mum, I want you to come," She told her gently, "I don't have the first idea about what to buy, and I'm sure I'll need to go shopping again before she puts in an appearance."

"Well I'd better make myself presentable then," Karen spoke, looking down at the grey shirt that fell halfway down her thigh. She gave her daughter a sad half smile and disappeared back up the stairs. Jess sighed; she couldn't stand seeing her mum so sad and she was determined to get her to open up about Rob, or if she couldn't do that, she at least hoped baby shopping would take her mind off things for a while.

* * *

"Oh isn't that just lovely?" Karen held up a coat hanger with the tiniest pink and white dress hanging from it.

"Isn't that just expensive?" Jess mimicked her tone, holding up the price tag for her mother to examine. "It's cute, but I'm not paying that." She finished firmly, and Karen waited until Jess had turned her back before burying them under a pile of stuff already in their shopping trolley.

As they rifled through the racks of baby clothing, Karen couldn't help but let her thoughts wander to a few months down the line when she'd be doing this for her own baby. Her heartbeat began to quicken and she felt nervous butterflies overcrowding in her stomach, and a flicker of something which she realised was excitement. A small smile spread across her face but it quickly disappeared as she glanced around the shop. As she looked around Karen's gaze landed on a couple; they weren't as young as Jess and Aiden but not as old as she and Rob either. If she had to guess she'd have placed them in their early thirties. She watched the man wrap his arms around the woman and – little caring about the presence of the other shoppers – lean down and kiss her, both hands resting on a fairly large bump. Karen's eyes misted over, and she couldn't seem to tear her gaze away from them, "Mum!" She looked over to where her daughter was stood, "Mum come and look at this."

She mustered a smile at the excitement in her daughter's voice and made her way over to where she was standing, looking a matching cot and crib in beautiful shades of pink and grey. "Oh love that's gorgeous," Karen gushed, turning over the price tag. She noticed Jess looking unsure about it and knew she was thinking about how costly it would be. Aiden had managed to find a job but it didn't mean they didn't need to be careful about what they were spending. "We'll take these," Her mum said firmly to the store assistant and Jess opened her mouth to protest. "Don't worry about it, I'm paying."

* * *

"Right," I think that's about enough for today," Karen said, once they'd bought and paid for everything. She picked up several bags at once, "Don't even think about it!" She said, turning back to her daughter who was attempting to pick up a travel cot. "I've asked them to have the rest of this delivered. Now let's go and have a coffee." She handed Jess two of the lighter carrier bags and they left the shop.

They struggled up an escalator with their new purchases and collapsed onto a sofa in Starbucks. Jess, who was thoroughly exhausted after their morning out, remained seated, whilst her mum got up to order their drinks. "Thanks for today love," Karen bestowed a small smile on her daughter, sliding her coffee across the table towards her. She hadn't really been in the mood for going out when she woke up, but she was glad she had done. Their house was always really busy now and she rarely got to spend time with Jess like this. It'd be even more hectic when the baby arrived, and so Karen was grateful for the time before her granddaughter's birth.

"How are you feeling today?" Jess asked, taking a sip from her drink and observing her closely. "Have you thought about it much?"

Karen busied herself with pouring some milk into her coffee, "It's all I've been thinking about," She admitted, her voice cracking as she thought of Rob. "I miss him," She looked back up, her eyes bright but not tear-filled. "It was so strange going to bed without him last night."

Karen looked slightly embarrassed to be admitting that to her youngest daughter but her irrepressible desire to talk about Rob didn't faze Jess, who had matured considerably since falling pregnant. "Do you love him though?" Jess asked softly, eyeing her intently as she awaited her answer.

Her mum focused her attention on the contents of her mug, deliberating for a while before answering, "Love is a complex feeling Jess," She sighed knowing there was no use in trying to evade the issue. Jess had never been backwards in coming forwards and today it seemed was no exception.

Jess frowned at her lack of a proper response, "Love is just a label," She told her, draining the rest of her drink and pausing for a minute to think, "What if I put it a different way and asked if you could live without Rob in your life?"

Karen thought back over the previous twenty-four hours and how time seemed to have gone much slower. She remembered how lonely it felt rolling over in bed to find herself alone, and the overwhelming sense of loss she felt, when he didn't have his arms around her. "No," She whispered, almost of afraid of the answer her heart was screaming at her. "I'm a mess Jess; I can't seem to function properly without him." It sounded ridiculous to admit that she, a grown woman in her forties couldn't get by without a man but it was the truth.

Jess smiled at her confession, "Why are you telling me that?" She answered, her eyes sparkling. "Go and tell him, Mum." Her eyes sparkled and she raised her eyebrows as if to say _what are you waiting for?_


End file.
